Tightening control arm bolts

[Eddie Greenlee]

Now I know there are control arm torque specs. I also know as you tighten down on the nuts it compresses the CA brackets against the joints on the end of the control arms.
Does that keep the control arms from moving freely ?
Is there a trick to the trade ?
what if you can not get to the nut with a torque wrench ?
Thanks

 

[Moglocker]

Now I know there are control arm torque specs. I also know as you tighten down on the nuts it compresses the CA brackets against the joints on the end of the control arms.
Does that keep the control arms from moving freely ?
Is there a trick to the trade ?
what if you can not get to the nut with a torque wrench ?
Thanks

Just make sure the Jeep is on the ground at ride height and tighten em up,I never torque them

 

[freedom_in_4low]

Now I know there are control arm torque specs. I also know as you tighten down on the nuts it compresses the CA brackets against the joints on the end of the control arms.
Does that keep the control arms from moving freely ?
Is there a trick to the trade ?
what if you can not get to the nut with a torque wrench ?
Thanks

Yes, the bushing sleeve does not rotate, it's held stationary by the clamping force of the bolt squeezing the bracket. The arms movement is what is allowed by the rubber flexing between the inner and outer sleeves.

Uppers can be tricky but I've never not been able to get a torque wrench on one. I also have no idea what the factory orientation was for the bolts because I put them in based on how I can torque them.

 

[pagrey]

Generally you wedge opposite ends and tighten. @mrblaine describes the process pretty well because hes had to a million times. You don't need a torque wrench for this.

 

[Eddie Greenlee]

Generally you wedge opposite ends and tighten. @mrblaine describes the process pretty well because hes had to a million times. You don't need a torque wrench for this.

Oh really ? All my arms have Johnny joints

 

[freedom_in_4low]

Oh really ? All my arms have Johnny joints

I think you guys are talking about different things. I think pagrey is talking jam nuts on DA arms, and I took your post to mean the mount bolts.

With JJs the polyurethane shell can move freely about the spherical sleeve so there's no need to torque on the ground at ride height like there is with factory style rubber.

 

[pagrey]

I think you guys are talking about different things.

Thanks, I agree. Oops.

 

[Eddie Greenlee]

I think you guys are talking about different things. I think pagrey is talking jam nuts on DA arms, and I took your post to mean the mount bolts.

With JJs the polyurethane shell can move freely about the spherical sleeve so there's no need to torque on the ground at ride height like there is with factory style rubber.

So how tight should I tighten the bolt going through the JJs & CA bracket ?
When I installed my new control arms several years ago ,the jeep was on the ground and I’m sure I did the best I could do, to torque them to factory specs.
Should I take each bolt loose and re-tighten to a looser spec / torque value ?
I’m pretty sure if I were to pull a bolt out , I would have to pry the jj out of the CA bracket.

 

[someguysjeep]

whats the length of the lever your using to apply the torque? how long are your tools?

there is a reason an inch pound torque only has to be 10-12" long and the same reason your breaker bar is 24" long vs the 3 different socket drive sizes most of us have that all use different sized levers. or a 150# torque wrench is 2ft and a 500# is 4ft.

the average man can pull about 60ft #'s on an 8" wrench, more like 80# on a 10-12" tool and over 100# from a 20"+ tool.
or your 1/4" drive w/ 6" lever can pull maybe in the ballpark of 40#. your 8" 3/8 drive can get you to 60# and your 10" 1/2 drive can get you to 80#. for the rest we use either a long torque ratchet or a breaker bar depending on situation.

this is not scientific data it's just BS example of how we can use the length of a bar to produce higher torque values.

so if the OP uses a10" tool up top and cranks it down it's good. could use the 8" tool but that might be marginal.
for the lowers you need a 20-24" tool to pull that much torque.

 

[andy29847]

125 ft pounds - hella tight

 

[Mike_H]

So how tight should I tighten the bolt going through the JJs & CA bracket ?
When I installed my new control arms several years ago ,the jeep was on the ground and I’m sure I did the best I could do, to torque them to factory specs.
Should I take each bolt loose and re-tighten to a looser spec / torque value ?
I’m pretty sure if I were to pull a bolt out , I would have to pry the jj out of the CA bracket.

Tight. Factory specs are ok, if you want to use a torque wrench. I generally use my pneumatic impact and my 7/8" combo wrench. Cinch it down with the impact, give it a couple hits after it stops moving for good measure, then try to turn it with the wench. If it's tight, it will be tough to move the bolt. It's a 9/16” grade 8 bolt, IIRC so it can take some torque...

The steel ball in a Johnny joint doesn't have to rotate or move in any way shape or form for the joint assembly to perform. The poly race around the ball is where all the motion cones from.

 

[jjvw]

Look up the torque specs on the size and grade bolt you are using.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

IIRC uppers are 55, lowers are 130, except the axle end of the front LCAs which are 85. I don't know why those are less than the others, it's the same bolt. Maybe something with using the alignment cams.

 

[MichaelGH]

With my Savvy double-adjustable control arms I torqued all upper bolts to 50-55 foot pounds and all lowers to 125 foot pounds, including the front lowers…

 

[MichaelGH]

With joints like these you do not need to worry about having the weight of the vehicle on the suspension. You can tighten them at any angle or weight distribution. The center sleeve is the only thing that gets pinched between the control arm frame/differential brackets. So you can jack the frame up as high as you need to to get access underneath. Do whatever you need to get them torqued properly…

 

[Texas-TJ]

Yes, the bushing sleeve does not rotate, it's held stationary by the clamping force of the bolt squeezing the bracket. The arms movement is what is allowed by the rubber flexing between the inner and outer sleeves.

Uppers can be tricky but I've never not been able to get a torque wrench on one. I also have no idea what the factory orientation was for the bolts because I put them in based on how I can torque them.

Not getting a torque wrench on my passenger rear upper frame bolt. The muffler is 1/2" from the bolt head

 

[mrblaine]

Not getting a torque wrench on my passenger rear upper frame bolt. The muffler is 1/2" from the bolt head

What do you see when you peek in that hole on the outside of the frame?

 

[Texas-TJ]

What do you see when you peek in that hole on the outside of the frame?

The bracket is welded to the frame, the outer has the flange nut and the inner just has the bolt head

 

[MountaineerTom]

Loosen the bolt, pull the flag nut out, replace with a washer and regular nut, hold the bolt head with a regular wrench, use and extension in your torque wrench and torque the nut through that hole in the frame.

You might be able to get a socket on the flag nut too. I can’t remember.

 

[mrblaine]

The bracket is welded to the frame, the outer has the flange nut and the inner just has the bolt head

Best you can do?